It takes a lot of power to run an oil platform, with about 5% of the exploited energy resources used to power the rigs themselves — and there are currently about 175 in the Gulf of Mexico.

With natural-gas prices at 14-year highs and the European energy crisis creating high demand for Gulf LNG, petroleum producers have a strong incentive to sell this gas rather than use it at the platform.

Offshore wind puts the “offshore oil producer in a position of buy versus make power,” said Tulane University’s Eric Smith. “He can sign a power purchase agreement [with an offshore wind developer] and say ‘knock yourselves out, make as much electricity as you want. Whatever you deliver to me, I’ll buy because I’m running 24/7 and have already got the gas infrastructure to get the gas to shore.”

The concept is controversial, though, with renewables-powered oil & gas production seen as an oxymoron at best, or more likely a cynical attempt at greenwashing by an industry in fear for its survival.

Norwegian energy giant Equinor’s Hywind Tampen project, the world’s first floating wind-driven offshore oil decarbonisation project, has faced accusation of being a “dirtification” of clean energy and an industrial fig-leaf behind which the operator can continue to produce hydrocarbons with abandon.

The International Energy Agency has already called on governments to put a stop to new fossil-fuel projects and gradually wind-down current production as the global power system transitions to renewable energy.

Moreover, 90% of US Gulf oil and gas is produced in waters deeper than 400 metres. Decarbonisation of these assets would require floating wind arrays to be installed in water depths far beyond the current industry record of less than 200 metres, which is expected to add to technical and cost demands.

Scott Urquhart, CEO of Copenhagen-based consultancy Aegir Insights, told Recharge: “With the depths exceeding 1,000 metres, it is a different technology challenge than the sites we are doing in Europe which are generally 60-200 metres.

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